It’s 6.30 am and my pre-booked cab ride to the airport is parked outside my building gate. I was on an official trip to Delhi. I left on time from my residence and asked the driver to drop me at the domestic airport. Whislt nearing the domestic airport the driver asked me “Kaunsi airline hai” (which airline am I flying). I said to him “Vistara”. The driver replied “Sirji Vistara yaha se nahi udati. Aapko international airport jana padega” (Vistara doesn’t take off from here, you will have to goto international airport). My jaw dropped hearing this. I quickly removed the print out of my ticket and saw Terminal 2 which meant I had to catch flight from international airport.

How could I have been so ignorant (kicking myself in my head). Yes I did cross check the ticket for the date, departure time and my name but somehow I skipped the departure airport. Very unusual of me. I quickly told my driver to drop me at T2 (Terminal 2).

So my day started with my heart beating faster than normal. Since it was early morning and there was no traffic and I reached T2 on time. I quickly thanked cab driver and made my way to check-in.

There was very less crowd at that hour and I finished my security check in next 10 mins. I searched for my flight number on the TV screen and mentally noted the gate number that I had to reach. Meanwhile with just 25 minutes to departure and the boarding had commenced, I darted off towards Gate 41. Once again my hearts racing & I am telling myself “run, run faster…” felt like Usain Bolt had come inside me for those few minutes , as I finally reached Gate no 41.

Breathed a sigh of relief once I boarded the flight with 15 minutes to take off. I stopped short of asking the beautiful curvy air hostess if I was the last one to board, and made my way to my seat, looking past the angry stares of the passengers who were all tucked into their seats and waiting for the announcement “boarding completed”.

As I reached my seat, I realise it had been occupied by a female passenger and the guy seated next to her (probably her husband) requested if I could take her seat instead. Well being the kind of person, I am, I agreed and I faked a smile, thinking to myself, there goes my window seat which I had booked during web check in.

And so the rest of the day went off well without any more hassles and come evening it was time to return back.

So it happens that famous TV actress “Bharti” along with her friends boarded the same flight and were seated on the same row as mine but this time I had my window seat. So this guy (could be a TV actor as I heard surrounding people say so) was completely lost in his phone. Even after the captain announced to switch off all the electronic gadgets this guy was going on and on with not just one but two phones. I gave a “do-you-not-understand” look at him, but he wasn’t bothered

The flight had already started for its runway and still there was no sign of this guy switching off his phones. Once again me being this responsible citizen, finally requested him to switch off his mobiles, but to no avail and he continued his conversation, until the flight finally took off and he lost mobile network. 🙂

One wonders, being a celebrity doesn’t one need to set an example to others? Quite contrary because here was this irresponsible-ignorant dude , with a care-a-damn-attitude seated right next to me.

And so while there will always be passengers like me making to their flight in the nick of time, you will also have the ignorant irresponsible ones that add that touch of drama to the trip.